Iloilo City — Iloilo City has been selected as one of the nine partner local government units in the Philippines to participate in a five-year project aimed at enhancing local economic development. The initiative, known as the Urban Connect Project, is facilitated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to Philippines News Agency, head of the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office, Iloilo City has successfully pre-qualified for this significant project. During a phone interview conducted on Wednesday, Lao shared insights into the goals and expectations associated with the initiative, stating, "The intervention is really enhancing local economic development so that the city will have inclusive and resilient economic growth."
The Urban Connect Project has a PHP625 million budget, allocated to cover the implementation of capacity-building and technical assistance across all participating cities. Other cities involved in the project include Batangas, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, and Zamboanga. The project aims to foster enterprise growth, streamline business permit systems, strengthen public financial management, support the transition to e-governance, and enhance cooperation between neighboring cities.
Lao highlighted the city’s plans to improve digitalization for end-to-end processes and streamline the business and construction permitting processes with online applications. "There are areas within the process that have to be enhanced or need an ordinance," she stated.
Additionally, the city will collaborate with members of the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) to address cross-border issues through inter-local arrangements. "What is good is we already have it. What we will do is to build on whatever we have," Lao emphasized.
By the conclusion of the five-year project, the goal is to position Metro Iloilo, and not just Iloilo City, as a preferred investment destination in the country. "We are not looking at Iloilo City only. What is good if Metro Iloilo is developed is the distribution of benefits throughout neighboring areas," Lao concluded. The project was formally introduced during a meeting between the city government and USAID on Tuesday, where innovative strategies to enhance public service delivery were discussed.